Days of Darkness

by Greg Prato

Although thrash metal vets Testament have a few compilations under their belt, few explore the group's latter-day, sans-Alex Skolnick recordings. But that all changed with the release of 2004's Days of Darkness, which collects tracks from the studio albums Demonic (1997) and The Gathering (1999), as well as First Strike Still Deadly (2001), the latter of which features re-recordings of fan favorites. This double-disc set proves that the group has not mellowed a smidgen in its old age, as exemplified by such modern-day standouts as "Down for Life," "Legions of the Dead," and "Demonic Refusal," plus such Testament standards as "Over the Wall," "Burnt Offerings," and "New Order." Certainly not a true "best-of," but if you already own Signs of Chaos: The Best of Testament or The Very Best of Testament and are looking to dig a bit deeper, Days of Darkness is a worthy follow-up purchase.